Thomson Reuters

Chip maker Qualcomm Inc. slashed its forecasts for revenue and earnings as it reported its fiscal first-quarter profit plunged 56%. The company said the global economic slowdown and financial crisis had slowed demand for its chips, which run many of the world's mobile phones. It said its financial investments had also taken a significant hit. The San Diego company lowered its estimate for 2009 operating income to a range of $2.2 billion to $2.5 billion, from a range of $2.6 billion to $2.8 billion.

Shoppers scaling back on discretionary purchases like books and music hurt profit at Barnes & Noble Inc., which said earnings fell 29% in the period that included the dismal holiday season -- usually retailers' busiest time of the year. But the nation's largest bookstore chain posted adjusted results that beat Wall Street's forecast, and gave an outlook for the current quarter that was in line with what analysts expect. Its shares rose nearly 5%. The New York company earned $81.2 million, or $1.46 a share, in its fiscal fourth quarter ended Jan. 31, compared with $115 million, or $1.79, a year earlier.

Oracle Corp. said Thursday that its fiscal first-quarter profit jumped 28%, beating Wall Street's expectations, as software sales stayed steady despite turmoil in the U.S. economy. The business software maker's net income for the three months that ended Aug. 31 rose to $1.08 billion, or 21 cents a share, from $840 million, 16 cents, a year earlier. Excluding expenses for employee stock options and acquisitions, Oracle posted earnings of 29 cents a share. Analysts had expected 27 cents, according to a Thomson Reuters poll.

DirecTV Group Inc., the nation's largest satellite-TV operator with more than 17 million customers, said its third-quarter earnings rose 14%, fueled by growth in subscribers, higher prices and lower capital expenses. "We are in a tough economy and a competitive environment," Chief Executive Chase Carey said. But business has been good so far and, "overall, the impact is marginal," he said. The El Segundo-based company reported net income of $363 million, or 33 cents a share, up from $319 million, or 27 cents, a year earlier.

Clothing retailer Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. said it narrowed its fiscal third-quarter loss and total sales fell 5% as cautious consumers continued to pull back on their spending. The company said it posted a net loss of $2.5 million, or 4 cents a share, for the period that ended Nov. 1, compared with a loss of $20 million, or 29 cents, a year earlier. The company said the quarter included a goodwill impairment charge of about $4.2 million, or 6 cents a share. Results from continuing operations, which exclude results from businesses that have been sold or are in the process of being sold, amounted to a loss of $3.5 million, or 5 cents a share, compared with income of $17.1 million, or 25 cents, from the previous year.

TJX Cos. said its fiscal third-quarter net income rose 32% as shoppers looked for bargains at the discount retailer's chains. The Framingham, Mass., company, which operates stores that include T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, also boosted its outlook for the fourth quarter and full year. The company said it earned $347.8 million, or 81 cents a share, in the three-month period ended Oct. 31. That compares with $235.8 million, or 58 cents, a year earlier. Revenue climbed 10% to $5.24 billion.